1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for changing a vehicle operation status and, more particularly, to a method for exiting a vehicle transport mode.
2. Description of Related Art
Production passenger vehicles typically spend time in storage and in transit between the point of manufacture and delivery to a predetermined location, for example a vehicle dealership. Depending upon the length of time between manufacture and delivery to the dealership normal key-off electrical loads occurring in the vehicle may exceed battery capacity and drain the battery prior to the vehicle arriving at the dealership. To combat this concern vehicle manufacturers have developed low power key-off electrical modes specifically designed to preserve battery life during storage and transit. One low power key-off electrical mode is referred to as a transport mode wherein the electrical system of the vehicle has limited functionality while at the same time enabling the vehicle to be driven a short distance.
Prior to the customer taking delivery of the vehicle at the dealership or other predetermined location, the transport mode must be exited and the vehicle placed in a normal operating mode. In order to exit the transport mode different operations or steps are required. For example, one method of exiting the vehicle transport mode may require an operator to press the brake pedal multiple times while cycling the vehicle hazard switch for a predetermined time period. An additional method includes checking vehicle mileage to determine if a threshold has been exceeded. In some cases the mileage check is automatically done by an on-board electronic module. The vehicle mileage threshold must be large enough to withstand the highest typical pre-delivery mileage including road test mileage by plant personnel. This method limits any transport or test drives to a short distance in order to maintain the vehicle in transport mode. The high mileage threshold limits this method to a backup method rather than a primary method. Other steps or procedures may also be used to exit or transfer a vehicle from a transport mode to a normal operating mode.
Such steps or procedures can be complicated and may increase the overall labor that must be completed as part of a pre-delivery inspection and vehicle preparation. If such steps or procedures are not completed satisfactorily they can create quality issues for the manufacturer and dealer.